MFS Investment Management (MFS IM) will employ two analysts in a new Sydney investment office, due to open in the first quarter of 2007.

The recruitment process will be overseen by David Antonelli, chief investment officer of the Boston-based bottom-up active manager. The local representative for MFS IM, BNP Paribas Asset Management’s Robert Harrison, said two new analysts would prove the firm’s commitment to Australia. “;I’ve been pushing for this for a couple of years…the two analysts will be identified with specific industry responsibilities and join our global sector teams. They will be a great resource to draw on for marketing our capabilities here,”; he said. The two positions are currently being advertised on the Australian CFA website, with Harrison hopeful the new hires would start by the end of Q1 2007. MFS IM has $5.5 billion under management from Australian clients, $1.5 billion of it amassed in 2006.